Feed mixer and liner therefor

Abstract

A feed mixer and liner therefor. The feed mixer including: a container formed from two side walls, two end walls, wherein the end walls have a slope and curvature and are connected to the side walls to form an auger well, and a base connected with the side walls and end walls at a lower end thereof; and a liner configured to have a truncated conical shape that matches the slope and curvature of the end walls and fits within the auger well such that: a bottom of the liner contacts the base and has a diameter similar to a diameter of the path of the auger at the base; and a top of the liner contacts with the end walls and side walls. The auger well may include two auger wells and the liner may include two truncated conical shapes fitting in each of the two auger wells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A feed mixer comprising:
 a container comprising:
 two side walls; 
 two end walls, wherein the end walls have a slope and curvature and are connected to the side walls to form an auger well; 
 a base connected with the side walls and end walls at a lower end thereof; and 
   a liner configured to have a truncated conical shape that matches the slope and curvature of the end walls and fits within the auger well such that:
 a bottom of the liner contacts the base and has a diameter similar to a diameter of the path of the auger at the base; and 
 a top of the liner contacts with the end walls and side walls. 
   
     
     
         2 . A feed mixer according to  claim 1 , wherein the auger well comprises two auger wells and the liner comprises two truncated conical shapes fitting in each of the two auger wells. 
     
     
         3 . A feed mixer according to  claim 2 , wherein the two truncated conical shapes are joined and provided with a gap at a center of the two auger wells. 
     
     
         4 . A feed mixer according to  claim 2 , wherein the feed mixer further comprises an internal molding between the side walls and the liner to provide shape to the auger wells. 
     
     
         5 . A feed mixer according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed mixer further comprises two internal moldings such that the auger well comprises three auger wells and the liner comprises three truncated conical shapes fitting in each of the three auger wells. 
     
     
         6 . A feed mixer according to  claim 1 , wherein the base is provided with notches and the liner is provided with tabs to fit within the notches for positioning the liner on the base. 
     
     
         7 . A feed mixer according to  claim 1 , wherein the liner is approximately one third to one eighth of the height of the side wall. 
     
     
         8 . A feed mixer according to  claim 1 , wherein the liner is formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . A liner for a feed mixer having two side walls, two end walls, and an auger wherein the end walls have a slope and are attached to the side walls, a base connected with the side walls and end walls, the liner configured to have a truncated conical shape that matches the shape of the end walls and configured such that:
 a bottom of the liner contacts the base and matches the shape of the path of the auger; and   a top of the liner contacts the end walls and side walls.   
     
     
         10 . A liner according to  claim 9 , wherein the liner is provided with tabs for positioning the liner on the base. 
     
     
         11 . A liner according to  claim 9 , wherein the liner is approximately one third to one eighth of the height of the side wall. 
     
     
         12 . A liner according to  claim 9 , wherein the liner is formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         13 . A feed mixer using an auger, the feed mixer comprising:
 a container comprising:
 two vertical side walls; 
 two end walls, wherein the end walls have a slope and are attached to the side walls; 
 a base connected with the side walls and end walls; and 
   a liner configured to have a truncated conical shape having a slope that is at least the same as the slope of the end walls and such that a bottom of the liner has a diameter that matches a diameter of the path of the auger wherein:
 a bottom of the liner contacts the base; and 
 a top of the liner contacts the end walls and side walls. 
   
     
     
         14 . A feed mixer according to  claim 13 , wherein the auger comprises two augers, the liner comprises two truncated conical shapes each having a diameter that matches a diameter of the path of each of the two augers, respectively, and the feed mixer further includes an internal molding provided to fill a space between the liner and the side walls. 
     
     
         15 . A feed mixer according to  claim 14 , wherein the two truncated conical shapes are joined and provided with a gap at a center of the two auger wells. 
     
     
         16 . A feed mixer according to  claim 13 , wherein the liner is approximately one third to one eighth of the height of the side wall. 
     
     
         17 . A feed mixer according to  claim 13 , wherein the liner is formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating a feed mixer using an auger, the method comprising:
 fabricating two vertical side walls with tabs at a lower end thereof;   fabricating two end walls with tabs at a lower end thereof, the two end walls having a slope;   fabricating a liner configured to have a truncated conical shape having a slope that is at least the same as the slope of the end walls and such that a bottom of the liner has a diameter that matches a diameter of the path of the auger, wherein a lower end of the liner is provided with tabs;   fabricating a base having slots that correspond with the tabs on the side walls, end walls and liner;   welding the side walls and end walls and liner to the base using the tabs and the slots; and   welding the liner to the base using the tabs and the slots.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , the method further comprising welding a top of the liner to the end walls and side walls.